Deep well pump



W. L. CONNOR DEEP WELL PUMP Nov. 21, 1939.

2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed OCt. 14, 1955 Inventor Nov. 21, 1939. w. l.. CONNOR DEEP WELL PUMP 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventar Filed Oct. 14, 1935 `Paten-ized Nov. 21,1939

PATENT -oFFicE DEEP WELL Pour William L. Connor, Los Angeles, Calif., assigner *to Fluid Packed Pump Company, Whittier, Calif., a corporation of Nevada .Application October A14, 1935, Serial No. 44,31

(Cl. 10S-187) 9 claim.

My invention relates 'to reciprocating pumps, and is directed to a pump construction especially applicable to deep well installation. the present disclosure being a speelde form of the invention 5 described in my co-pendlng application, filed on the same date, serially numbered 44,818, and entitled Deep well pump".

The principal object of my invention is to provide a pump that will deliver an exceptionally l large quantity of fluid for a given length of stroke.

The engineer attacking the problem of adelquate pumping from the exceedingly deep wells that are becoming more numerous in current oil production, is confronted by at least four important limiting considerations. 'I'hese considerations should be given some thought fora proper understanding of the present invention.

First, there is the fact that the cross-sectional area of an oil pump must be confined to the dimensions of the discharge tubing, which, in turn, must be accommodated by the well casing. Of necessity, therefore, the pump itself may be no larger than two or three inches in diameter.

Secondly, the usual power equipment installed at a well provides for a limited length of pump stroke, partly from custom and standards established in pumping wells of moderate depth, and partly because of the greater investment and higher operating cost involved in using equipment for longer pump strokes. The power required to lift the long column of oil in a deep well taxes standard equipment; to increase the amplitude of the pump stroke without reducing the number of strokes per minute may further so tax prevailing power equipment as to be impractical, or, at best, to involve serious offsetting losses. For example, it must be borne in mind that increasing the throw of a pump crank increases the acceleration and velocity of the long oil column and string of rods.

The third important consideration is that because of the inordinate weight of the oil column in a deep well, and because of the excessive distance separating the power unit from th`e pump,

resiliency of the string of rods becomes a serious loss factor. 'Ihis stretch in the pump rods is subtracted from the power stroke at the surface to net the effective stroke at the pump.

Finally, increasing the number of strokesv per 5o minute has serious disadvantages. In current practice, it is common, because of the stretch in the rods at a great depth, to use a relatively small pump at a compensating relatively high number of strokes per minute. Two cost factors enter here. In the'rst place, the more' rapidly a pump operates for a given rate of production, the more wear and the higher the ratio of the cost 01' pump replacement to production. In the second place, the greater the number of times the string of rods must be stretched for a given quantity of produc- 5 tion, the greater the waste of power.

The advantages of my invention may be readily understood in the light of the four considerations recited. By providing for increased volume of oil flow per unit length of pump stroke, within the l0 restricted cross-sectional area of well tubing, I compensate for motion lost in the stretch of the rods, and do .so without engendering dimculties inherent either in increasing the length of the strokes, or in increasing the rate of the strokes. l5 Standard power equipment vmay be utilized at customary speeds, and pump replacement will be normal for any given well.

I accomplish increased pump capacity by incorporating two pumping units in tandem in a 20 single pump structure, arranging for one of the pumping units to pump into or through the other pumping unit.

Broadly described, my invention comprises two pump cylinders in telescopic relation adapted for 25 relative movement longitudinally, each cylinder carrying a piston that isy eectlve with the other cylinder, a fluid passage being provided to permit one cylinder to pump either into or through the other cylinder. 1 30 The recital of other objects, advantages, and l features of my invention is, for the purpose of better understanding, reserved for the detailed description` to follow. In this disclosure, the principles of my invention, are, for illustration, 35 embodied in a removable type pump.

In the accompanying drawings:

l Fig. 1 is a broken elevation, large in section, of my pump installed in a weil tubing;

Figs. 2, 3, and 4, taken together, comprise an 40 enlarged axial section similar to Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a horizontal section taken on line l-l of Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary axial section indicating a modified construction Awherein one of the pump 45v valves is omitted; and

Fig. I is a fragmentary axial section indicating how my invention may be modliled by adding a bottom discharge valve.

Pump jacket I 0 is incorporated in the discharge 50 tubing through which oil is pumped to the surface of the well. Threaded to the bottom of the jacket, as an extension thereof, is standing valve shoe Il, having the usual tapered seat I2 and inwardly disposed annular shoulder Il. From g5 the bottom or the standing valve shoe, a gas anchor plug I4 and tubing (not shown) may extend if desired.

Under normal pumping conditions, an expansion mandrel I5 is removably seated in standing valve shoe I`I. Shoulders I6 on the ilexible extensions I1 of the mandrel engage the aforementioned annular shoulder I3 .of the standing valve shoe.

Expansion mandrel I5 Supports the stationary parts of my pump, including a lower -standing valve generally designated by numeral I8, and a lower inner cylinder I8; while the movable parts of my pump, including an upper outer cylinder 20, a tube 2 I, and travelling valve generally designated by numeral 22, are supported and'moved by sucker rod 23.

It will be noted that mandrel I5, together with standing valve shoe II, forms a seal between, on the one hand, the well-pressure zone below the pump, and outside the pump jacket, and, on the other hand, the tubing-pressure zone within the Jacket that is subject to the tremendous weight of the oil column extending' to the top of the well.

. Standing valve cage 24 is in the form of a coupling in threaded engagement with mandrel I5, and, in the usual manner, is provided with ball guides 25. Suitably secured between cooperating surfaces of the expansion mandrel and valve cage, is a valve seat 25 to receive ball 21. The range of the ball upward is limited by suitable stop 28, the stop being integral with a nipple 29 that is threaded into the upper end of valve cage 24.

The upper portion of nipple 28 is threaded for the mounting of stationary inner cylinder I8. Mounted to the top of this cylinder, and serving as a continuation thereof, is a relatively extensive, annular, stationary piston 30 dimensioned to cooperate both with tube 2| and outer cylinder 20 for pumping action.

. It is essential, in the operation of my pump,

that the annular space 3l below piston 30 andl between tube 2i and stationary cylinder I9 be freely vented to the tubing-pressure zone of the well. For this purpose, the wall of the inner cylinder may be provided with suitable vent ports 8Ia near the lower edge of stationary piston 30, and around and below these ports the periphery of the outer surface of the inner or travelling cylinder may be either cut away longitudinally or reduced in diameter for a suflicient longitudinal distance to extend below the bottom edge of outer travelling cylinder 20 at all positions of the pump, thereby providing a clearance space 32, open at all times.

Connected to the bottom end of sucker rod 23 is the cage 33 of travelling valve 22, the cage having iluid ports 28a. Threaded into the bottom of cage 38 is a suitable nipple v35 that cooperates with the cage to retain a valve seat 36 for ball 31. The lower portion of nipple 35 is reduced in diameter and threaded to receive a spider generally designated by numeral 88, and is further reduced at its lower extremity 38 and cut away to provide a plurality of radially disposed ports 40. Spider 38 comprises an upper tubular portion 4I threaded on its inner and outerperipheral surfaces, a plurality of integral legs 42, and an integral, lower, restricted ring portion 48.v 'I'he outer threads of the spider serve for supporting outer travelling cylinder 28.

Tube 2|'is provided at the top with an integral, annular shoulder 44, and is dimensioned to at through ring 43 with shoulder 44 engaging the ring from above, and with the Vtube held against the lower end 3l of nipple Il. A liberal longitudinal movement but has a substantial degree of lateral freedom.

It will be apparent that the interior of tube 2l is in communication with passage 45 leading to travelling valve 22 and also, by virtue of ports 4l and the spaces between the legs of the spider, is in communication with an annular pump chamber 48 between the tube and outer cylinder 28.

Mounted to the lower end of tube 2| by threaded engagement is a relatively extensive, annular piston 41 (Fig. 3) dimensioned to cooperate with lower cylinder I8 for pumping action. In the preferred form of my invention, this piston serves las an extension of tube 2| and is provided with a lower travelling valve generally designated by numeral 48.

The piston has a reduced portion 5I at its lower end that continues as a plurality of spacedlongitudinal iingers 52. These flngers serve as guides for ball 53, the :upper limit of the ball movement being determined by a stop pin 54 spanning the piston. Threaded to reduced portion 5l of the piston is a suitable cylindrical member 55 that serves as an extension of the piston and also cooperates with the ends of fingers 52 to retain valve seat 56.'

The purpose of the lateral freedom provided in the mounting of tube 2l will now be apparent; by virtue of the clearance provided, the tube will automatically adjust itself to any inaccuracy in the boring and machining of the stationary piston.

It is contemplated that, in a typical pump, each of the two pistons will be approximately three feet long, and that the pump will be dimensioned for approximately a. six-foot stroke.

'I'he drawings indicate the disposition of the various .parts of the pump at or near the bottom of the stroke. As sucker rod 28 lifts travelling cylinder 20 on the upwardV stroke of the pump, upper travelling valve 22 will close under pressure from the oil column in the well tubing. As upper travelling valve 22 retreats from stationary piston 38, annular pump chamber 46 within the travellngcylinder will expand; and as travelling piston 41 simultaneously retreats from the bottom end of standing cylinder I8, lower pump chamber 51 will likewise expand. On this movement, pressure from the well will open lower standing valve I8, and oil from below the pump will ow under well pressure into lower pump chamber 51, and oil likewise will ow through tube 2 l. Ports 48, and between legs 42 of the spider into upper pump chamber 46.

On this upward movement of the pump, annular space 3l will contract, the oil therefrom escaping freely into the tubing-pressure zone by.

virtue of ports Sla and clearance space 32.

As travelling piston 41 approaches stationary piston 80, it cuts o ports Ila, thereby restricting ow from annular space 3l to produce a cushioning effect at the top vof the stroke.

0n the downward stroke, standing valve I8 will close; oil from lower pump chamber 51 will be expelled through lower travelling valve 4,8, tube 2| and ports 48 leading from the annular space 45 into passage 45; and the oil from passage 45, forcing open traveling valve 22, will be discharged into the well On this downward stroke. 'annular space 3i, expanding in volume, will have received oil freely from the tubing-pressure zone.

My pump may be regarded as consisting o two interconnected pumping units: the upper pumping unit, represented by chamber 46, comprises travelling cylinder 20, travelling valve 22, the exterior of tube 2 I and stationary piston 30; the lower pumping unit, represented by pump chamber 61, comprises standing cylinder I9, travelling piston 41, and lower standing valve I6.

It will be noted that it is possible for me, in eilect, to arrange two pumps in tandem to operate within the coniines of well tubing, because, by virtue of tube 2I, I provide for communication between the two pumps, so that on. the intake stroke, the upper pump may draw from the lower pump, and, on the discharge stroke, the lower pump may deliver oil into or through the upper pump.'

Because two pumping units are provided in tandem andl connected to the same sucker rod for simultaneous operation, my pump will deliver a greater volume of fluid per unit length of stroke than any other reciprocating pump heretofore employed in deep wells. A simple plunger pump of the same inside diameter as the outer travelling tube would deliver, in one stroke, a volume of oil equal to the length of the stroke times the cross-sectional area of the standing tube; whereas my pump will deliver the same volume plus the stroke times the crosssectional area of annular pump chamber 46.

Provided the well produces enough oil to work the pump at capacity, on the down stroke when standing valve I4 is closed, the column of oil in the tubing-pressure zone will remain substantially stationary while the moving parts of the pump slip through the fluid, the fluid escaping from the pump through travelling valve 22. On the up stroke of the pump when travelling valve 22 is closed, the pump moving upward displaces in the tubing around the pump a volume equal to' the volume of oil previously discharged from the pump on the down stroke, such displacement causing the oil column to move towards the surface of the well.

In pumping to capacity fluid that is relatively free of gas, lower travelling valve 46 will remain open substantially all the time, because, on the upward stroke, the upper pumping unit will be expanding to receive oil through tube 2|,

and, on the downward stroke, the lower pumping unit will be contracting to lexpel oil through tube 2| in the same direction. It is apparent, then, that this intermediate valve may be omitted entirely.

One modication of my pump consists simply in omitting this valve, as indicated in Fig. 6, in which corresponding parts' are given corresponding numbers. Inv the ligure, travelling piston is shown without a valve.

While this intermediate valve may be omitted, I prefer to include it for two reasons: because it is believed that, where a high ratio of gas to iiuid is being pumped, the valve may serve to break up the gas column within the pump and thereby facilitate lcompression of the gas for discharge from the pump; secondly because by providing three valves, I have a pump that will continue to function when any one of the three valves fails. If theintermediate valve fails to close, the volume delivered by the pump will not ordinarily be ail'ected; if the upper travelling valve fails to close, the lower pumping unit will Athe Vperiphery of the standing cylinder.

continue to function; it the lower standing valve fails to close, the upper pumping unit will continue to'function. I

A second modification of my invention, as indicated by Fig. 7, corresponding numbers being used to indicate corresponding parts, isdistinguished by the addition to the lower pumping unit of a. bottom discharge valve generally des'- ignated by the numeral 6I.

In this third form of my invention, the lower discharge valve comprises a T shaped tube 62 spanning standing cylinder I6, the horizontal portion of the tube forming two ports 63 in A suitable bushing 64 screwed into the bottom of the vertical portion 65 of the T secures in place a valve seat 66 to receive ball 61. A suitable depending lug 66 within the T serves as a stop for ball 61.

On the upward stroke of the pump, this third form of my inventionA functions in the same manner as the iirst two forms, lower discharge valve 6i being closed. On the down stroke of the pump, however, uid from the lower pumping unit may be discharged entirely through valve 6I, each pumping unit discharging independently of the other. Obviously, in thatA case, oil would iiow through tube 2| only on the up stroke of the pump.

In the removable type of deep well pump here shown, the pump is removed by simply drawing sucker rod 23 upward beyond the usual range of the pump stroke, until travelling piston 41 engages stationary piston 30. The force upward exerted by the sucker rod will then be transmitted to the stationary parts of the pump through tube 2|, and expansion mandrel I5 may readily be Jarred out oi' engagement with shoulder I6 of standing valve shoe II. 'I'he pump assembly may then be readily lifted to the surface of the well.

It is apparent, then, that, while it is desirable to restrict the cross-sectional area of tube 2l for the purpose of increasing the cross-sectional area of annular pump chamber 46 to attain maximum pump capacity, the limit to which the cross-sectional area oi' tube 2| may be restricted will be determined by two considerations: the fact that the tube must be large enough to accommodate, without serious friction, the required flow of iiuid through the tube; and the fact that the tube itself must be ot sufilcient size and strength to accommodate strain incidental to engaging the pump from the standing valve shoe and transporting the pump to the surface of the well. Because of this latter consideration, I prefer to use alloy steel for tube 2l.

Restricting the cross-sectional area of tube 2I, reduces the residual volume of the pump, i. e., the cubical content of the pump at the end of the discharge stroke. When the residual vvolume of a pump is relatively large, the eiliciency of the pump may be seriously impaired by the presence of excessive gas in the oil; because the work of the pump will be devoted largely to merely compressing the gas within the pump. It is believed that my pump has less residual volume than any other pump of the same size employing telescoping pump cylinders. Since my pump expands on the intake stroke to a relatively large volume, and since the emciency ofl a pump in the presence of gas isfavored by a high ratio between this expanded volume and the residual volume, my invention may be used protably where the presence of a large percentage of gas in a 'deep well would preclude economic operation of another type of pump.

For the purpose of complete disclosure and to illustrate the principles involved, I4 have described my invention as embodied in a deep well pump of the removable type. It is obvious that the invention may be applied to pumps of other types for other purposes. and vit will be apparentthat my invention may be subject to a wide range of material modiilcation and change without departing from the principles involved. I reserve the right to all such modiiication'and change that come within the scope of my appended claims.

Having described my invention, I claim:

l. A pump having in combination: a lower pump cylinder adapted to be stationary with its lower end extending into the well-pressure zone of a well, the balance of the pump to be surrounded by tubing pressure irom above the pump; a valve-controlled intake port'in said lower end of the cylinder; an upper pump cylinder adapted to reciprocate telescopically over said lower cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port at the upper end of the upper cylinder; a downwardly extending tube nxedly mounted within the upper cylinder, the upper end of said tube communicating with the interior oi the upper cylinder; an annular piston mounted on the tubeto cooperate with the lower cylinder for pumping action; and a second annular piston mounted on the upper end of the lower cylinder to cooperate with said tube and upper cylinder for pumping action, the wall of the lower cylinder below the second annular piston being reduced in diameter to provide a clearance between the inner cylinder and the outer cylinder, and said wall being provided with ports near said second piston for the purpose of venting the annular space between the two pistons.

.2. AA pump having in combination: an inner pump cylinder; an outer pump cylinder telescopically associated with the inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled intake port associated with the inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port associated with said inner cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port associated with said outer cylinder; a tube ilxedly mounted in the outer cylinder extending through the outer cylinder towards the inner cylinder, said tube communicating with the interior of the outer cylinder and with said second mentioned discharge port; an annular piston mounted on the tube to cooperate with the inner cylinder for pumping action; a second annular piston mounted on the inner cylinder to slidingly embrace said tube and to cooperate with the outer cylinder for pumping action; and a check valve associated withv said tube to prevent ilow therein towards said inner cylinder.

3. A pump having in combination: an inner pump cylinder; an outer pump cylinder telescopically associated with the inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled intake port, associated with said inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port iixedly attached to said-inner cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port as so-l ciated with said outer cylinder; a tube flxedly mounted in the outer cylinder, said tube communicating with the interior of the outer cylinder and said second mentioned discharge port; an annular piston mounted on the tube to cooperate with'the inner cylinder for pumping action; and a second annular piston mounted on the inner cylinder near the inner end thereof to slidingly embrace said tube and to cooperate with the outer cylinder for pumping action.

4. A pump having in combination: an inner pump cylinder; an outer pump cylinder telescopicallyassociated with the inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled intake port associated with said inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port associated with said outer cylinder; a-tube nxedly mounted in the outer cylinder, extending through the outer cylinder towards the inner cylinder, said tube communieating with-the interior ot the outer cylinder;

an annular piston mounted on the tube to cooperate with the inner -cylinder for pumping action: and a second annular piston mounted on the inner cylinder to have. substantially sealing contact both with the tube and with the outer cylinder for pumping action, thereby forming two ,disconnected annular chambers, one of said chambers communicating with both said valves, the other annular chamber being vented directly to the exterior oir the pump.

5. A pump having in combination: a lower Pump cylinder adaptedto be stationary with its lower end extending intothe well-pressure zone of a well, the balance of the pump to be in the tubing-pressure zone extending above the pump; a. valve-controlled intake port in said lower end of the cylinder; an upper pump cylinder adapted to reciprocate telescopically over said lower cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port at the upper end of the upper cylinder; a tube xedly mounted within the upper cylinder extending downward, the upper end of said tube communicating with the vinterior of the upper cylinder; an annular piston mounted on the tube to cooperate with the lower cylinder for pumping action; and a second annular piston mounted on the inner cylinder to have substantially sealins, contact both with the tube and with the outer cylinder for pumping action, thereby forming an annular chamber between' the two pistons out of communication with the rest of the pump, said chamber being vented directly to the exterior o! the pump in said tubing pressure zone.

6. A pump having in combination: an inner pump cylinder; an outer pump cylinder telescopically associated with the inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled intake port associated with said inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port associated with said outer cylinder; a tube ilxedly mounted in the outer cylinder, extending through the outer cylinder towards the inner cylinder, said tube communieating with the interior of the outer cylinder; an annular piston mounted on the tube to cooperate with the inner cylinder for pumping action; and a second annular piston mounted'on the inner cylinder to have substantially sealing Vcontact both with the tube and With the outer cylinder for pumping action, thereby forming an annular chamber between the two pistons out of communication with the rest oi the pump, said chamber being vented to the exterior of the pump.

7. A pump having in combination: a lower pump cylinder adapted to be stationary with its lower end extending into the well-pressure zone of a well, the balance of the pump to be in the tubing-pressure zone extending above the pump; a valve controlled intake port in said lower end of the cylinder; an upper pump cylinder adapted to reciprocate telescopically over said lower cylinder;a valve-controlled discharge port at the upper end oi the upper cylinder; a tube nxedly mounted within the upper cylinder extending downward, the upper end of said tube communieating with the interior of the upper cylinder; a check valve associated with said tube to prevent downward now therein; an annular piston mounted on the tube to cooperate with the lower cylinder for pumping action; and a second annular piston mounted on the inner cylinder to have substantially sealing contact both with the tube and with the outer cylinder for pumping action, thereby forming an annular chamber between the two pistons out oi' communication with the rest of the pump, said chamber being vented to said tubing-pressure zone.

8. A pump having in combination: a lower, inner pump cylinder; an outer, upper pump cylinder telescopically associated with the inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled intake port associated with said inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port associated with said outer cylinder; a tube iixedly mounted in the outer cylinder, extending towards the inner cylinder, said tube communicating with said discharge port; a port in the tube adjacent its upper end communicating with the interior of the outer cylinder; a. annular piston mounted on the tube to cooperate with the inner cylinder for pumping action; ranti a second annular piston mounted on the inner cylinder to have substantially sealing contact both with the tube and the outer cylinder for pumping action, thereby forming two disconnected annular chambers, one of said chambers communicating with both said valves.' the other chamber being vented to the exterior of the pump.

9. A pump having in combination; a lower inner pump cylinder; an outer, upper pump cylinder telescopically associated with the inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled intake port associated with said inner pump cylinder; a valve-controlled discharge port associated with said outer cylinder; a tube. nxedlymounted in the outer cylinder, extending towards the inner cylinder. said tube communicating with said discharge port; a port in the tube adjacent its upper end communicating with the interior of the outer cylinder; an annular piston mounted on the tube to cooperate with the inner cylinder for pumping action; a second annular piston -mounted on the inner cylinder to have substantially sealing contact both with thetube and the outer cylinder for pumping action, thereby forming two disconnected annular chambers, one of said chambers communicating with both said valves, the other chamber being vented to the exterior of the pump; land a check valve associated with said tube to prevent flow therein towards said inner cylinder.

L. CONNOR. 

